Means for stripping the husks from coconuts



sept. 18,1923.

` O. ELSWORTH MEANS FOR STRIPPING THE HU'SKS FROM CCONUTS :s sheets-'sheet 1 Filed April 2, 1923 HG. A.

GAI/mumps www Sept. 18 1923.

. O. ELSWORTH MEANS Fon STRIFPING THE Husxs FROM cocoNuTs Filed April 2, 1923 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 2.

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Sept. 18 i923. wml

' v O. ELSWORTH lMEANs FOR STRIPPING THE Husxs FROM cocoNUTs Filed April 2. 1923 v3 sheets-sheet 5 FBG. 5.

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Patented Sept, 18, 1923.

osWALD ELswoR'rH, or nnwcasjrnuron-rrnn- ENGLAND.

iviEAiis ros s'rnrrrne'rnn HUsKs Facia cocotiers.

Appiiation sied Alim 2,

To :all whom maj] concer/a;

Be it known that I, {swALD E'Lswonrrl, a

subject of vthe King of Greatl Britain and Leland, residing` at Old lenwell, inthe city and county of Newcastle-upon-Tyne,EngL land,` have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Means Vfor Stripping the Husks from Coconuts, of which the following is a specification, Vreference being had therein' to the accompanying drawing. This invention relates to means for stripping' the husks from coconuts. Hitherto, largely owing to thegreat variationv in the. size orp the husked nuts andin the thickness of their husks, it has been'necessary to remove the husk from the nuts by handgtools which isslow and laborious work. The object of my invention is to provide practical and effective machinery whereby the nuts can be rapidlystripped of their husks without, breaking the internal shell.f

Machinery in accordance with my `invention comprises meansfor loosening andtear# inglapart Vthe fibreisof the-husk and for rre-j` moving` the `loosened husk from the nut. The means 'tor loosening thehusk comprises alternate series ot' fixed and traveling teeth coacting with afloating pressure member j disposed adjacent thereto. The liusked nutsA 30 are fed in between the series ci" teeth 'and thepressure member, and the teeth enter thexhusks Vand tear the fibres thereof apart, the resilient pressure between the floating pressure member and the teeth-beingadjust-ed so that, while the teeth penetrate the husk, the pressure is not sufficient to cause them to crack`A the internal shell., ln one ar-r rangement the nuts are discharged with their husks still adhering but in a loosened state` andthe nuts are subsequently subjected to the action of' coacting plainV and spiral-threaded rollers which .seize the loosened khusk and tear it from the nut. In

another arrangement, the loosenedv husk is torn from the nut before it isdiSCharged trom between the lteeth and pressuremember. Y

I" will fully'describeniy.invention with reference toA the accompanying drawings wherein Figure lis anelevation of one conf. struction of machine .for loosening the fibres of thehusks of the nuts in accordance with my invention, and Figure v2 is a part planV section on the line X-X in Fig. 1. Figure-s'A A 3 and 4 are van elevation and` aplan respectively of the rollers for removing the 'loos'- 1923. Serial No. 629,291.

ened husks from the nuts. Figures `5 and 6 are an elevation on` the line Z- Z in Fig. 6 and aplan respectively of a modified4 construction ofthe machine wherein the husk-removing means are combined-with lthe husk-loosening means, and Figure `7 is a section on the line Y ing to ,ther-ight; i

,Referring first to Figs. 1 and 2 otthe drawings, themachine therein illustrated comprises a series of discs 10 keyed to a Vpower-driven rotaryshaft 11 and alternating with fixedplates 12. The shaft 11 is mounted in bearings llaicarried V.by iron girders 11b supported by columns r11c ateach.

side of the machine, and the plates 12V are attached by angles 12n to uprights'12b vcarried by the girders 11b. The rotating discs 4have teeth 131around their peripheries, and the fixed plates 12 have teeth 111 around the curved' portions of their edges which are in alignment with the peripheries of the discs 10. Adjacent to said rotary discs and fixed plates is a fio-ating pressurev member `comprising a segmental block 15 having a con-. cave face provided with teeth 16 coacting with the teeth 13 andle, said floating pressure member 15 being pivoted atr17 lto a standard 18 pivotedat 19 in a bearing' 19n on the base plate 19b offY the machine so that said pressure membercan move freely toward and away from the d iscs 10 and plates 12 but not laterally thereof. ments of lthepressure member 15 are resiliently controlled by flexible connections 2O passing over pulleys 20a supported by the frames 11? and 12b to an adjustable weight 21 whereby the lresilient pressure upon the nuts can be regulated. vThe pressure member is arranged to erert a uniform pressure on the husks of vthe nuts during their passage, and the resilient mounting ot the pressure member allows it to automaticall;1 adjust itself to various sizes of nuts Vand thicknesses of husks.

The rotary discs 410am provided Varound their peripheries with one or more cams 22 orthe like for lthe purpose ofA preventing a nut sticking during its passage between the discs and the pressure member 15, said cams operating to raise the nut clear of the fixed teethlil and allowV the nut to be passed` on by the rotary teeth 13. 'To facilitate this, the cams may have small teeth 23 at their highest points.

ill

The move- Y in Fig. 5 look- V.ing` rotary teeth'13 somewhat larger `than the fixed-teeth 14 and the teeth or" the pressure: member 1 5, and varrangingthepoints and cutting edges of the rotary teeth 13 so that they oppose the points and cut' ting edges of thexed -te'eth 14. AThe'eifect oi,E the enacting teeth 13, 14 andl is to rend Y gether and their spindles are providedwith equal interengagingxpinions 2 6a which "are ZU-"suitablyrdriven so that the rollers rotate at it from oilj1V the nut -while thenut revolvesV I von the top of therollers but does not pass thehusk of Vthe nut lengthwise and loosen it't'rom the nut@ Upon discharge from between the rotary discs l0 and pressure member 15,f.the nut withfits loosened'fhusk adhering to it .is`

subjected to the action of a pairi'of coacting rollers. VThese; rollers are illustrated inV Figs. 3 yand 4t. One roller is plain and.V provided with y,spirali the other roller 25 is threads-'26.*l The rollersware set close .to

equalp'speeds in opposite directions. They coact to se1ze the loosened husk and tear between them. The rollers may -be adjustable'relatively,or one or bothrollers may be resiliently mounted seas to accommodate an eXtra thick piece of fibre. Y

,Meansj such as elevators `Vand conveyors ,of suitable construction may vbe arranged to Vdeliver the 'hushed nuts between the rotary idiscs 10 andthe pressuremember .151 onefbyonepreferably with their greater "axes Vacross the direction Vof travel. For example, the nuts may-"be Ated down a slide, `1 27f'supported by-.uprights 27a carried by thei i y girders 11b, the nuts being picked up one by f one Vb y arms 2S. on a shaft 28.a in` bearings 15andthe rotary discs supported by cross girders28b at each side X40 andrgfZ?. Y 28c from the shaft 11.

liver the `nuts between floating guides 29V ofthe machinerarried by the upright-'S112b '.Theshaft 28a. `is rotated by a belt pivotedat 29a and 429b respectively which lead the nuts between the pressure member veyors may be also arranged to deliver the nuts -to the rollers 24, 25 as they are discharged from between the pressure member Vprovided with teeth 13 and cams 22 having teeth 23 as and for the purposes hereinbefore described. The fixed plates 12 are correspondingly reduced in size, and are each provided with a single tooth 14.Y The'pressure member, in this example, comprises a plate 15 carried by side arms 30 pivoted on a spindle 31 supported by the side frames The arms 28 de- 10. :Slides or conV VY31a of the machine,v the 3Ohavingad-I Y justable weights 32V at their otherends. In Y place of the separate rollers2t,`25,l employ a series of rotary discs 33 disposedin align-V ment with the fixed plates A,12 on a shaft 35 parallel 'with Vthe shaft l-11 "and rotated at the 'same'jspeedas but inthe opposite direetion to said shaftl'l.V The'shafts 11 and 35 aremounted. in .bearingscarried by the side frames 31q and are geared together by pinions36, and the shaftgll is (driven Y through a'spurwheel 11"L drivenbyfa'pinion 3( on ashaft 33 in bearings 'carriedby the side trames 3 1` and provided `with fastand .Y loose pulleys 39, 40. :It kdesired thediscs 3:3 with flats around their Vmay be "provided peripheries The hushed nuts aret'ed down a slide 41 and arepicked up oneV by plate 42 carried' by slottedfarmslt?) vpivote'd at 4.4 :and oscillated A(asindicated` inV dot# and-dash linesin Fig. 5) throughV about 90T driven by thek pinion 36on the shaft 11 through a spur-wheel 46?. The platefta feeds the nuts between 'thepressuremember 15 and the discs -10,themember F15 exerting floating pressurejupon.thenuts inlpro-` portionV to their. size, said'proportional 1ncreaseof pressure 'being obtained-*by pro.;- i viding a number 'of transverse rodse supported' at` different heights in VsteppedV rel,

plate 15 ilsit rises s o thatthe weightvolt the, rods` 47 is :progressively 'addedl Vto the weight of the and-dash lines'inFig. 5j "l Each nut is pressed bythe pressure memjone 'by a pusher by a pin45on an arml on a shaft L161i Y -plate 1 5, The highest posi- Ation-of the memberV l5v is indicated in dot-V onV eessesinlllgseft on'tlle silleframes31ajii11d Y. adapted tofbe succeSSVelYPCked up by the `10eV ber 15 onto. thev fixed teeth 14' while the;

the teeth ltfand the nut is partially revolved to Vbring a fresh portion of itsfhuslr `over the. teeth 14 onto which the husk is again forced so soon `as Ythe cam Simultaneously the rotary discs 33 coactingl with the toothed discs-'10 and ixedplatesY Vl2 tear the loosenedh'usk from oil the nut and pass it down between said discs and the discs-10, the nut'riding onsa-id discs and not passingdown between them. Therdiscs` 33act as abutments,'againstwhich the nut is steadied Vwhile the ,rotary teeth 13' act upon it. A'lhestripped nut is 'discharged 'by the Vnext nut which, as it is fed by the pusher plate 4t2 between the floating lpres- Y sure member 15 andV the rotary discs V10, pushes the.` previous .nut out at therighthand end of the machine. husk which may adhereto the discs 10, fast-running rota-ryV discs '48,

preferably having their peripheries rouglr ened,-a re provided below thedisos 10. iv The rotary teeth 13pierce andloosen theftibres` of its husk. The cams 22 raise the nut-olf,

22 passes.-

T'oremove any the teleth 135011 CJD spindle 49 carrying the discs 48 is driven through toothed gearing 50, 51, 52 from the shaft 38.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent isz-- l. Means for stripping the husks from coconuts comprising alternate series of fixed and travelling teeth whereby the fibres of the husks are loosened and torn apart, aV

discs, said member havinga concave face next said discs provided with teeth, the teeth of the fixed plates,rotary discs and floating pressure member coacting to loosen and tearapart the fibres of the husks of the nuts, and means .for feeding the nuts one by one between said rotary discs and floating pressure member. j

3. Means for strippingrthe husks from coconuts comprising teeth carried by fixed plates, rotary fdiscs alternating therewith, teeth carried thereby, cams around the peripheries of said rotary discs, a floating pressure member mounted adjacent to said rotary discs, said member having a concave face next said discs provided with teeth, the teeth of the fixed plates, rotary discs and floating pressure member coacting to loosen and tear apart the fibres of the husks of the nuts, and means for feeding the nuts one by one between said rotary discs and floating pressure member.

4. Means for stripping the husks from i coconuts comprising teeth carried :by/fixed plates, rotary discs alternating therewith, teeth carried thereby, cams around the peripheries of said rotary discs, a floating pressure member mounted adjacent to said rotary discs, said member having a concave face next said discs provided with teeth, the teeth of the fixed plates, rotary discs and floating pressure member coacting to loosen and tear apart the fibres of the-hu'sks of the nuts, means for'feeding the nuts one by one between said rotary discs and floating pressure member, and coacting plain and spiral-threaded rollers adapted to seize the loosened husks and tear them from the nuts.

5. Means for stripping the husks from coconuts comprising fixed teeth alternating with series of travelling teeth whereby the fibres ofthe huslrs are loosened and torn apart, a floating pressure member disposed adjacent to said teeth and coacting therewith whereby the nuts are pressed onto the teeth, rotary members coacting with said travelling teeth to tear the loosened husks from the nuts before they are discharged from between the travelling teeth a-nd pressure member, and travelling cams for raising the nuts from off the fixed teeth and partially rotating the nuts to bring fresh portions of their husks over the fixed teeth.

'6. Means for stripping the husks from coconuts comprising fixed teeth alternating with series of travelling teeth whereby the fibres of the husks are loosened and torn apart, a floating pressure member disposed. adjacent to said teeth and coacting therewith whereby the nuts are pressed onto the teeth, rotary lmembers coacting with said travelling teeth and pressure member, travelling cams for raising the nuts from off the fixed teeth and partially rotating the nuts to bring fresh portions of their husks over the fixed teeth, and means for feeding the nuts one by one between said teeth and the floatiii pressure member.

7. eans for stripping the husks from coconuts comprising fixed teeth alternating with series of travelling teeth whereby the fibres of the husks are loosened and torn apart, a floatingV pressure member disposed adjacent to said teeth and coacting therewithV whereby the nuts are pressed onto the teeth, rotary members coacting with said travelling teeth and pressure member, travelling cams for raising the nuts from o' the fixed teeth and partially rotating the nuts to bring fresh portions of their husks over the fixed teeth, means for feeding the nuts one by one between said teeth and the floating pressure member, and means for proportionally increasing the floating pressure exerted by the pressure member according to the size of the nuts.

8, Means for stripping the husks from coconuts comprising alternate series of fixed and traveling teeth whereby the fibres of the husks are loosened and torn apart, an element arranged to hold the coconut in contact with the teeth, and means for removing the loosened husksV from the nuts.

9. In a device of the kind described, means for loosening the husks from coconuts comprising alternate fixed and rotary plates provided with peripheral teeth, a guide adjacent said vdiscs for h'olding the coconut in contact therewith, and means for feeding the nuts one by one between the plates and the guide.

In testimony whereof, I afix my signature.

OSW'ALD ELSWORTH. 

